


Plane Jumping

by Static_Era



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: All the cuddles, Fluff, M/M, Stony - Freeform, Tony is paranoid, Weird Weather, steve/tony - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-08 23:10:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4324359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Static_Era/pseuds/Static_Era
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony is unnerved when Steve jumps out of a plane on a mission, but Steve makes sure to comfort him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Plane Jumping

**Author's Note:**

> Not mine! Just a general plot idea. :) enjoy!

“Okay guys seriously? Just because my leg is broken I’m not allowed to-“ Tony began, voice already taking a whining tone. Natasha jumped in before he could continue any more.

“You said you refused to be in bed while we were out fighting, your only option is to fly the plane.” She reasoned, marching onto said plane and leading the way.

Tony had broken his leg tripping down a set of stairs three weeks ago and had done nothing but complain about it since. He refused to let the team go out and fight without him, so it was finally agreed that he could drive the vehicle they needed. In this case, a plane.

“My suit would keep me safe!” He argued again, even as he began hobbling up the ramp into the plane.

Rhodey snorted, slapping him on the back as he walked by. “If we could even fit your cast in it, you wouldn’t be able to bend that leg at all. Which would actually be hilarious to watch, can we try?"

“No.” Steve’s voice was final, buckling the chin strap as he was the last one onto the plane, shutting the ramp back up into it and turning to the rest of his incomplete team.

Sam made an exasperated noise in his throat as he sat down, buckling himself in next to where Natasha had already strapped herself in. Tony made another whining noise before giving in and settling up in his chair, strapping himself in. Rhodey sat across from where Steve stood mentally playing through their plan.  

“You just going to stand?” He asked, one eyebrow raised in disbelief.

Steve made to respond, but Natasha spoke first with a smirk. “He’s too antsy to sit down for takeoff. Once we’re in the air he’ll settle.” She promised.

Steve gave a little grimace, sitting down in an attempt to prove Natasha wrong. “Tony, are we good for takeoff?"

“Fine Capsicle, up, up and, away.” He said as the engines worked on warming up. As they got rolling, Steve gave in and stood up, taking hold of a bar above their heads with ease as they lifted off. They’d been briefed and given a plane, along with a parachute for Natasha to use. A device had cropped up with the ability to control local weather, and a group was using it in a terrible attempt to play God. Their job was merely to get intel on defenses, as Clint was on another mission with Bruce as his backup, and Thor was still in Asgard, leaving just them for their recon mission. Vision was back at base, someone thought it would be an interesting idea to run blood work on him to see what happened, so he was trying to fix their system.

Okay, it was Tony and Bruce, Tony and Bruce thought it would be a good idea to run his blood work and see what happened.

Steve settled about half an hour into the flight, sitting down and closing his eyes. Whether he could nap or not wasn’t up for debate, he could never get rest on the way to missions, so he just settled in running through their strategy throughout the flight.

As they approached the drop zone, Steve reminded them all that it was a recon only mission. They were higher than usual for a drop to avoid the irregular weather, and honestly didn’t even know what sort of weather they’d be landing in. Everyone unbuckled as Steve opened the back of the jet, Natasha checking her parachute as Rhodey closed his faceplate, stepping towards the edge. “Looks nasty out there.” He turned to Steve, waiting for the call.

Steve glanced down, before smirking back to the team. “Geronimo."

War Machine flew out first, Natasha jumping moments later. War Machine was watching her from below, and Falcon would keep an eye from above. Sam waited a minute before clapping a hand on Captain America’s arm, then jumped out.

“Steve you don’t have a parachute on.” Tony said matter-of-factly as he glanced back. Unpredictable weather, higher altitudes - it made sense he’d use a parachute this time. Steve had his shield on one arm, and looked curiously back at Tony. 

“I never do drops with a parachute, you know that.” Tony’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to argue about the weather he’d be jumping into and the fact that this was so much higher thank you very much than normal and what if his serum didn’t-

But it was too late, with a devilish grin and a mischievous wink Captain America jumped backwards out of the plane. Tony made a noise like a strangled cat as the back of the plane began closing, immediately going over the com. “Eyes on Cap too, he just jumped without a chute!” He tried to keep the edge of panic from his voice and make it as casual sounding as possible, ignoring his inability to keep his voice level as he raised the jet.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Cap wear a parachute.” Was Sam’s first reply, accompanied by a laugh from Widow.

"Yes but this is…ugh." Tony gave in before he even got his argument out, realizing he was being irrational and refusing to acknowledge that it stemmed from a previous incident, merely grinding his teeth and shaking his head. “Never mind.” He all but snarled out, moving the jet out of range completely from the anomaly before going into a holding pattern.

A few weeks back Steve had been knocked out by a massive quantity of specially designed tranquilizers, made just for him. He was dropped off the side of a building in a fall that he was sure would kill even Captain America if his shield couldn't take the impact. No matter how many times he demanded JARVIS recalculate it and how he pushed his suit, there was no way he could get to him in time. 

Luckily, the enemy's lead scientist had made the great mistake of underestimating a super solider metabolism, even if his strength had been taken into account. Steve stirred towards the bottom of his fall, and managed to curl into himself and land on his back, where his shield still was. The damage to the ground had been great, but Steve had walked away no problem. 

Big problem for Tony, now he kept having nightmares about what would've happened if Steve had been unconscious still, if a scientist had happened to have found just the right concoction and Tony couldn’t save him. Watching him jump from the jet hadn't exactly helped those nerves. 

"Ground clear. Widow, take point, Falcon and Machine on the flanks." Steve's voice was loud and clear on the comm, no sound of wind rushing by as he fell. He'd been the first to land, which was part of why he preferred no parachute. 

"How's the weather?" Tony asked jokingly, trying to hide the strain in his voice as he began relaxing. Steve was fine. 

"It's... Weird." Rhodey responded first, Natasha elaborating a little more. 

"Snow. And darkness, with thunder and sheets of rain."

"Don't forget the hail." Sam groaned into his comm, the sound of rain on leaves coming through his. 

"Radio silence. Tony we'll let you know when we need you in position." Steve said, clearly running as he spoke. 

It was moments before someone spoke again.

“I’ve been spotted! Got him down.” Sam hissed, and Tony tensed.

“He got the alarm off.” Steve said, a blaring noise in the background of his comm.

“On my way back in-“ Tony started, before Steve cut him off.

“War Machine get the device, Widow and Falcon get as much information as you can, Tony, stay down!” Authoritative, strategist Steve came into play in mere moments, and Tony was glad Rhodey voice his question.

“Roger. What’re you doing Cap?” There was the sound of gunfire in the background, Tony closing his eyes and taking deep breaths.

“Distraction.” Natasha answered for him, and Tony ground his teeth together once more.

Periodically a comm would cut in, the sounds of gunfire or running feet coming over or fast breathing, but no one spoke.

“Got the device.” Rhodey came over finally. 

“Tony -“ Steve started before making a strangled noise, silence cutting in. Tony jumped to his feet before Steve came back on, silence in the background. “Iron Man, get in position, War Machine get the device to safety and drop the rope."

Tony lowered himself back into his seat, turning the jet to come about as he remotely opened the back.

“Incoming!” Was Tony’s warning, before War Machine flew in and landed, rolling the device up front and turning to push the rope ladder out. 

The device was like a giant silver metal battery with something glowing and blue in the middle, and ‘glowing and blue’ wasn’t typically a good thing, Tony eyeing it as it rolled closer to his feet.

“Clear.” Falcon’s voice was quiet, silence in the background.

“Get Widow out.” Steve still had the Captain tone, and the sound of running footsteps could be heard in his comm. 

“On it.” Natasha said, and it was only another moment before she added, “Tony we’re coming in!” Through wind. Falcon flew in, his landing much less graceful than Rhodey’s as he dropped Natasha and reached for his comm simultaneously.

“Cap they’re targeting the canons, get up here!” He said, and Tony glanced at his sensors. There were multiple somethings working on locking onto him and he cursed softly, unable to fly in any defensive pattern with the back hanging open.

“On it.” He didn’t specify exactly what he was doing, but it was pretty clear when suddenly the specks targeting him started disappearing on the screen and he could see what had to be flames as he started lowering the jet.

“Tony start lifting again!” Steve’s voice was a yell through his comm, feet pounding and gunfire in the background. 

“Dammit Steve…” Tony seethed, deciding maybe he didn’t want to be on these missions if he wasn’t suited up anymore, but for once he did what he was told and began lifting, praying to any and all deities that he wouldn’t inadvertently leave Steve behind.

“Rhodey, do I have him?” Tony called back over his shoulder, trying to keep the ascent as smooth as he could in hopes Steve was on the ladder.

Rhodey was still peering out, not answering. After what was much too long of a silence he settled back, moving towards the front of the jet. “He’s on his way up.” He said, beginning to remove the suit. Natasha strapped in and began attempting to towel dry her hair as Sam held onto the plane, looking out and down at Steve and waiting until he could reach down and pull him the last few feet into the jet.

As soon as he was in Tony hit the button, the back of the plane beginning to close once again as Steve laid on his back, panting.

“Some recon mission. Get some good intel?” Tony said sarcastically, letting out the breath he didn’t know he had been holding, wiping his palms on his pants when he hadn’t realized they’d been sweating.

Steve managed an almost chuckle, taking his helmet off and rolling onto his stomach before sitting up and moving to stand. “Definitely. We know exactly what kind of defenses they have and what condition they’re in."

“You know, it sounded a lot more dangerous over the comm.” Another snarky comment from Tony, and Natasha smirked.

“I felt pretty safe.” She said, managing to reach over and punch Sam’s arm lightly.

Sam snorted, rubbing the spot as if she’d actually hurt him as he strapped in, hugging himself in an attempt to hide goosebumps from under his soaked shirt. “Don’t give me that, you had almost everyone down before I even got to you."

“Almost.” Natasha repeated, before looking back up at Tony. “But, we got the information and the device. Weather was normalizing as we left." She held up a thumb drive, only then noticing her shaking hands. 

They were all shivering and soaked through except Rhodey, who stayed dry inside his suit. Tony noticed on his next glance back and frowned a little. “Don’t worry guys, we’ll be there soon.” He promised, pushing the jet to go faster. Even Steve sat down within moments, buckling himself in and just relaxing back, ignoring the dripping of his hair. He wasn’t shivering, but the edges of his lips had gone white.

Tony had the heat up, but no one was expecting weather quite that miserable so no one had a change of clothes available. By the time they landed he was sure everyone except Rhodey would be sick come morning. Natasha had curled up and fallen asleep, Sam’s arm around her shoulders as the two tried to stay warm, and Steve hadn’t moved. By the time they landed, even his lips were blue.

Maria met them with a smile until she saw their bedraggled state, shaking her head with an affectionate smirk as she took the thumb drive, letting Rhodey carry the device.

“Some intel. Go get cleaned up and changed, we’ll have a debriefing in an hour.” She said, turning to plug up the drive, Rhodey behind her with the device in his hands.

No one complained as they trudged off to get showered and changed, Tony following Hill and Rhodey so he could get a better idea of the device. Rhodey left it in the lab, before following the others towards the showers, Tony glancing at Maria. “So… intel.” She said, eyebrows raised towards the blue glow.

Tony nodded, already beginning to pull up the blue prints of the device in front of him. “Well, they did that. Thumb drive, and then I believe part of it was to learn the defenses. Which they chose to do by poking it with a big stick.” He said, with a smirk, Hill grinning as she started looking through the information.

“Tony we have interns to do that. Go get cleaned up for the debriefing.” She said, and after a moment Tony nodded, already having a personal copy Of the blueprint uploading to his own Stark servers.

After being in a plane that long, the shower felt good, even if he hadn’t been exposed to the elements. He changed into jeans and a t-shirt, checking his watch to see if he had time to eat. It was pretty early in the morning, as it had been an overnight mission. Assumedly the base was least defended in the evening, and Tony still would bet it was true. Either way, no one would be there cooking right now, so he went ahead to the debriefing room.

Steve and Sam were already there, Sam bundled in a thick sweater and a pair of jeans, arms still hugging himself, with his eyes closed and his chin on his chest. Tony went to sit next to Steve, giving him a small smile.

“You okay?” He asked, noticing Steve was in a long sleeve shirt with his sweatpants, and realizing that he hadn’t even known Steve had owned anything long-sleeve. The super soldier was almost always overheating.

Steve came out of his thoughts, turning and seeming to notice Tony for the first time. A tired smile made it’s way to his face and he nodded, reaching a hand up to run through his still-damp hair. “Yeah. Sam and I don’t like long showers, even when we’re freezing.” He explained, and Tony just nodded. That hadn’t been what he was asking truly, but he let it slide. 

“I plan on making them break me out of this cast. They can build a person but we can’t mend bone yet, what is that about? I don’t like being the getaway car, I feel useless.” Tony said, flicking a finger against said cast and frowning at it.

Steve shook his head, resting a comforting hand on Tony’s forearm. “Don’t do that, Tones, you’ve got to let it heal. You’ve already made it three weeks, didn’t they say you’d just have it on for six?"

Tony suddenly became hypersensitive to the feeling of Steve’s hand, and the petname. “I know.” He fumbled out, suddenly unable to take his eyes away from where Steve was touching his arm. When he finally did his eyes ran right into Steve’s, concerned blue eyes boring into Tony’s own brown ones. “Maybe I can.. at least.. do something.” That was a dumb sentence. He pulled his arm from Steve’s touch, rapping the knuckles of that hand against the cast. “Maybe I can work on a smaller cast, one that fits inside my suit. Or a suit with a slightly bigger cavity.."

Steve chuckled, shaking his head and seeming unbothered by Tony drawing his arm away. “Don’t make a whole new suit just because you broke your leg, that’s stupid."

Tony looked affronted and scoffed, furrowing his brows. “What? It sounds amazing!"

Steve cut in before he could keep rambling, as Steve knew Tony would. “Making a new cast could benefit more than just you.” He said, and Tony closed his mouth in thought. Before he could come up with a retort, Natasha and Rhodey came in. Nat sat in between Sam and Steve, Rhodey on Tony’s other side. Director Fury and Maria were the last two in, shutting the door behind them before sitting down.

The debriefing went quickly, everyone wanting to get to waiting beds and the promise of food. Sam was spotted, defenses went up. They got everything, and it sounded to Tony like Steve single handedly defeated their defenses with some help from everyone else. Maybe that was just him though.

As they were heading to go to bed afterwards, Steve stopped Tony and pulled him aside, letting the others get ahead of them. “Are you okay?” He made it clear the question was being turned around now, the concerned look back in his eyes.

“What do you mean?” Tony asked, meeting Steve’s eyes with as much innocence as he could muster.

“Well, you seemed to have a mild panic attack when I jumped out of the plane-“ Steve started, Tony’s hands immediately going into the air in his defense.

“It was higher than normal, with unknown weather - you had no idea what you were dropping into! You could have died or been struck by lightning or landed in the middle of a flood or even a volcano for all we know!” He talked faster, eyebrows raising up towards his hairline, and Steve’s smirk just grew with every word.

“You were worried about me.” He said finally with a grin, Tony scoffing and waving a hand.

“Pish posh.” He said, and was suddenly warm and unable to meet his eyes to Captain America’s. 

“‘Pish posh’?” Steve said, chuckling. He seemed to debate something for a moment before reaching out and ruffling Tony’s hair, turning to catch up with the others.

“Hey!” Tony said after a moment of shock, starting off after him. “No one ruffles my hair!"

“I think I just did.” Steve responded over his shoulder, leaving Tony without much to retort as he caught up with the others.

\---

It was later in the morning, maybe about 7 after they’d all made it into bed at 5, when Tony woke up from another nightmare of Steve falling. He wasn’t stupid, he knew why it freaked him out, he just wasn’t really able to admit it fully to himself past that. It was a scary thought, that he could have a crush on his childhood hero, one of his dad’s friends, an American icon, and not to mention the only thing that could pass as his ‘commanding officer’ in the field.

He got up, walking aimlessly through the base, knowing he wouldn’t fall back asleep. Sure he had a real home, but with the device in this lab and since he had a room here anyways it wasn’t a big deal for him to stay a few nights here, not to mention how late - or early, rather - they’d gotten in. 

Yeah, okay. He liked Steve. More than just as a friend too, though he’d never admitted it out loud. He and Pepper had broken up long before the Ultron event, even she could see he had a more-than-admiration type of affection for Steve. That and they just didn’t work as a couple. He denied the Steve thing tooth and nail, but when she mentioned how they worked better as friends, he’d just given in without argument.

Steve was annoying, and knew exactly how to rub Tony the wrong way and push all his buttons, creating arguments out of nothing and making Tony fume over the stupidest things. But in that same way, it meant he knew exactly how to make Tony feel better, even if that involved telling him he was a shithead. He was always right and just annoyingly perfect, with a sass and bite to him that most people didn’t really realize he had, along with a dark side to go with it.

Which was good, Tony didn’t trust people who didn’t have a dark side. 

During his musings he’d somehow ended up outside of Steve’s door, frowning at it. If asked how he got here, he’d shrug and say he probably walked, but couldn’t remember any of the trip. He reached a hand out and opened the door - just to check. It was only right to make sure the super soldier hadn’t passed out somewhere out of exhaustion, because sure that was totally possible. But there he was, sleeping on his stomach with his face turned towards the door, back rising and falling gently. His arms were under the pillow and his face was nestled down into it, hair completely messed up and face as peaceful as Tony thought he’d ever seen it.

The air conditioning was turned to at most sixty, but the sheets were pulled all the way up to his arms, and really the whole sight just made Tony smile that stupid sweet smile that he claimed to not have.

He turned to leave when Steve’s voice came quietly out of nowhere. “Tony?” It was thick with sleep, but after a glance back to check if he was hearing things, he saw he’d woken Steve and cringed. 

“I, uh…” How did he explain this one? “I was just… sorry if I woke you.” He settled on, mind still too tired to come up with a reason. Maybe he’d think of one before he saw Steve again. Maybe Steve wouldn’t remember this when he woke up for real.

Tony felt like those blue eyes searched him, frowning, for a long time before Steve shifted to one side of his bed, moving the sheets back in a gesture to invite Tony, though the super soldier closed his eyes once again.

He’s still not sure why he did it, standing there in nothing but a pair of black pajama pants and a dark grey shirt, and Steve only in grey sweatpants. But Tony slid inside and shut the door softly behind him, bare feet padding over before he slid into bed.

Steve enveloped Tony in his arms, pulling the scientist close to his chest, Tony’s eyes widening and face flushing as he had very little choice but to put his hands on the other’s annoyingly toned abdomen.

“…Steve?” He asked, cautiously.

“Hmph?” Steve made a soft questioning noise, his chin resting against the top of Tony’s head.

“I.. remember that mission where you were tranquilized?” Steve was silent in response, and Tony took that as either a ‘sure, go on’ or that Steve was asleep, but either way Tony pressed on. 

“Well, you got thrown off a building, and.. there was no way I could get to you. I did all the calculations, I put all my energy into getting there and I saw Thor trying too but neither of us could get to you fast enough, and…” Tony shivered as he imagined it, pressing his forehead against Steve’s chest and spreading his fingers over Steve’s stomach, as if somehow the touch would make this all real. “I knew that it was... that I was going to lose you.” He took a deep breath, trying not to get choked up. 

“There was no way for me to save you, I was so… powerless. I hated that feeling, that I couldn’t save and protect you. Luckily, you woke up, but.. I never want that to happen again, and I can’t think of a way to protect you from things like that. So when you jumped out of that plane…” Tony trailed off, voice getting quiet as he talked.

There was silence for a long moment, and Tony assumed Steve had just been asleep that whole time. But then he shifted, sliding down so his sleep lidded eyes were directly in front of Tony’s. He leaned in and caught the Tonys’ lips in his own, and Tony couldn’t help but make a happy, surprised little noise and melt against Steve.

Steve was smiling as he pulled back. “I worry about you too, Tones. All the time.” Tony rose his eyebrows at the use of the name again, one Steve had only rarely called him, but smiled and let it stay. “But.. that’s the line of business we’re in. I trust your high tech suit to keep you safe, but if you haven’t noticed.. I usually keep you out of harm’s way, or at worst make sure I’m in the thick of things with you.” Steve explained, hugging Tony tightly as one hand trailed gently up and down the smaller man’s back.

Tony nodded, pressing back into the touch just the slightest bit. “Yeah.. at first I thought it was because you figured I wasn’t capable-“ Steve snorted and shook with a soft silent laugh, and Tony pinched him. “Hey! Valid thought! I also thought you hated me.” He went on with a smirk, and even though Steve’s eyes were closed he still laughed, lips going to Tony’s neck for another little kiss.

“Well, I think we’ve learned that’s not even a little true.” He said quietly. Tony grinned, nodding as he tried to maneuver Steve in for another kiss. He was obliged, for just a moment before Steve spoke again. “Now hush, I need sleep and so do you.” He said, pressing his nose into the underside of Tony’s jaw and settling in comfortably.

Tony smiled, one hand trailing down to rest gently on Steve’s hip as he completely relaxed against the other man, drifting off into sleep within moments.


End file.
